1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cradle or a mount for a portable terminal. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cradle or mount for a portable terminal, installed in a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, portable terminals cover a broad range of devices including a cellular phone, a smart phone, a tablet PC, an MP3 player, and a Personal Multimedia Player (PMP). A cradle or mount is used to support such a popular portable terminal inclined or to keep the portable terminal stationary.
Cradles are categorized into a charging cradle for charging a portable terminal, a portable cradle for cradling a portable terminal in an inclined fashion so that a user may view a program on the portable terminal, and an in-vehicle cradle installed in a vehicle, for keeping a portable terminal stationary in the vehicle.
Among the cradle types, an in-vehicle cradle is provided with a pair of holding arms to hold a portable terminal The holding arms approach or recede from each other. When the holding arms advance to each other, they hold the portable terminal. Movement of the holding arms is enabled by a combination of a rack gear and a pinion gear. When the holding arms recede from each other, the rack gear or its teeth are exposed from the body of the mount, thus making the cradle or mount look less aesthetically pleasant.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present invention.